AMT pitches three options for Train de l’ouest project

editor robert

10 years ago

Lincoln wants government to stick to original project

By Kevin Woodhouse
www.thesuburban.com

The AMT created the Plan de mobilité de l’ouest three years ago, comprised of 13 partners to help define and improve the needs of West Island rail commuters. Andwhile the Train de l’ouest project has received support from the provincial Liberal government and the AMT, several newer options for the project are being looked at before eventually forwarding the recommendations to the government.

The original proposal of having more frequent trains running on dedicated tracks remain with the other proposals being a bus favoured concept including express buses and reserved lanes or the addition of a light railway that would run from Fairview into the city centre.

Another factor that will likely determine the Train de l’ouest fate will be the cost. Estimates of $3 billion have surpassed the original $1 billion price tag that would have featured dedicated tracks from Vaudreuil into the heart of Montreal with trains running every half hour.

For Train de l’ouest co-founder Clifford Lincoln, the original idea of a dedicated rail line running from Lucien l’Allier to Sainte Anne de Bellevue or beyond to Vaudreuil is the only option.

“We want to be able to have double the number of trains that run currently,” Lincoln told The Suburban. “The West Island deserves to have decent public transportation by rail and the Vaudreuil-Hudson users have the right to have the same service on par with the Deux Montagnes line.”

Regarding the other two options currently being proposed, Lincoln thinks that discussing the other projects, considering a $22 million report has already been done on the railway’s feasibility, is a waste of time.

“We don’t have time to be side tracked with other studies,” said Lincoln. “We know that a metro line out to the West Island is not possible so the original deal is still the best option.”

Lincoln and members of the Train de l’ouest coalition hope to meet with Minister of Transport Robert Poeti soon. Lincoln said that due to the provincial budget being released this week, the meeting will likely take place in the next couple of weeks.